Scottish Executive

Buildings

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow compulsory repair orders to be served on commercial properties.

Lewis Macdonald: Legislation already exists that enables local authorities to take action in respect of buildings found to be dangerous and buildings which they consider to be in need of repair. The relevant powers may be found in the Building (Scotland) Act 1959; the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982; the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, and the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.

Civil Service

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the issue of site ownership was a factor in the decision to choose Galashiels over Irvine as a base for the relocated jobs in the Scottish Public Pensions Agency.

Angus MacKay: Relocation decisions are based on a range of issues including costs, quality and efficiency of service, economic factors such as unemployment, availability and suitability of property and staff, transport issues and the position of staff concerned and the individual requirements of each organisation. Further criteria to be taken into account will depend on the organisation itself and the nature of the work in question.

  In relation to the proposal from North Ayrshire for the relocation of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency, one of the property factors did relate to timetable risks associated with site ownership. This was taken into account in the decision making process.

Crime

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the National Hi-tech Crime Unit on its remit regarding cases which threaten the online safety of children.

Iain Gray: None. However, the Scottish Police Service is in regular contact with the National Hi-tech Crime Unit and Scottish forces have access to a team within the Unit dedicated to tackling computer related child abuse.

Crime

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had had with Her Majesty’s Government and other UK agencies on securing effective communication and co-operation on Internet crime within the UK.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Home Office on a wide range of internet crime related issues.

Crime

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what agencies and organisations participate in the work of the Internet Crime Forum.

Iain Gray: The Internet Crime Forum (ICF) brings together representatives from government, law enforcement agencies, including the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, and the Internet industry. A list of those ICF members who have authorised disclosure of their details has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17128). Further information about the ICF is also available on the Forum’s web site at:

  www.internetcrimeforum.org.uk.

Crime

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or will be making to Her Majesty’s Government on the Cyber Crime Convention of the Council of Europe.

Iain Gray: Representations have been made specifically on the legislative requirements for Scotland. The Scottish Executive and the Crown Office have been consulted at all stages in the drafting of this Convention. This consultation is continuing.

Crime

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that law enforcement officers in Scotland have specialised training and increased resources to ensure a prompt and effective response to reports of incidents involving children in internet chat rooms.

Iain Gray: Training on internet crime, including action to tackle "grooming" by paedophiles on the internet, is already provided by the Police Service and by the Crown Office and both organisations are working together to identify further training needs in this area. Responsibility for ensuring that adequate police resources and training are applied to these tasks is primarily an operational matter for Chief Constables, who are fully aware of the importance of effective action. In taking action, Chief Constables will be able to draw on the increased funding we have made available to forces generally.

Crime

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the figures in the 2000 Scottish Crime Survey will be broken down by local authority area.

Iain Gray: No. The sample size for the Scottish Crime Survey is too small to produce valid results for smaller geographical areas such as local authorities or police forces.

Crime

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any figures from the 2000 Scottish Crime Survey have been approved for publication other than those already published in the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2000 and in The 2000 Scottish Crime Survey: First Results .

Iain Gray: Figures from the Scottish Crime Survey , in relation to domestic violence, have been published in the Action Plan- Preventing Violence against Women . Figures in relation to older people have been published in Older People in Scotland: Results from the First Year of the Scottish Household Survey . Other results are to be used in the Social Justice Annual Report: Scotland 2001 , which will be published shortly, in relation both to drug misuse and fear of crime among the elderly. Results in relation to drug use have also being provided for inclusion in a joint Employment Service/Drug Action Team handbook on dealing with drug users. Results relating to drug use and to household victimisation have also been provided for publication by the Office for National Statistics.

Crime

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the full results of the 2000 Scottish Crime Survey will be published.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the full results of the 2000 Crime Survey have not yet been published.

Iain Gray: A summary of the main results were published in December 2000 as The 2000 Scottish Crime Survey: First Results . Some results have also being published elsewhere and these are listed in my response to question S1W-19224.

  The Scottish Crime Survey contains a great deal of research material which is time-consuming and complex to analyse. Priority has, therefore, been given to providing material for the other publications already referred to. We are, however, currently conducting analyses of data on a range of issues covered by the survey and further publications may arise from this work.

Digital Hearing Aids

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make digital hearing aids available free from the NHS in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Digital hearing aids are already available free from NHSScotland.

Digital Hearing Aids

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce central purchasing of digital hearing aids.

Susan Deacon: Central purchasing of digital hearing aids has been arranged through Scottish Healthcare Supplies for NHSScotland since June 1999.

Education

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the need to protect the identity of young users connecting to the internet through school systems and using school email addresses and what advice or guidance it has issued on the matter.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is aware of the potential risks to young people that can arise from the disclosure of personal information in e-mails and chatrooms. All schools were issued with an information pack "ClickThinking - Personal Safety on the Internet" in 1999, which encouraged effective risk assessment. The expert group that Jack McConnell established in March is reviewing this document to make sure that it reflects the latest technology and will report shortly.

Education

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the 5-14 curriculum guidelines for information and communications technology, what steps it is taking to ensure that online safety topics are included within this subject area.

Mr Jack McConnell: National 5-14 Guidelines for information and communications technology (ICT) and associated Guides for Teachers and Managers emphasise the need for education authorities and schools to ensure that appropriate measures for the safe use of ICT are in place and that personal safety programmes for pupils cover this important area. The Guides refer education authorities and schools to the Scottish Executive publication, ClickThinking , which provides detailed advice on using the internet safely. The Guides also advise that parents are engaged as partners by schools in the development of ICT for teaching and learning purposes including safe use of ICT.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in producing and providing support and teaching materials for schools for the new National Qualifications; what its timetable is for the completion and provision of this material, and whether this timetable is on schedule.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Executive, in consultation with the National Qualifications Task Group (NQTG), has agreed a programme of work for this financial year with Learning and Teaching Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the Scottish Further Education Unit. Some materials are already available and other elements will be delivered throughout the remainder of the year.

  The NQTG has also been considering any gaps in this programme, and an announcement will be made in the near future about additional support work to be funded this year.

  In addition, the NQTG is also considering the likely need for support in relation to the impact of other work that it is progressing, for example in relation to the subject reviews and the Assessment Consultation exercise.

Employment

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2005 by Henry McLeish on 22 June 2000, whether it has any plans to revise its approach to ensuring availability of skilled labour in Glasgow in light of the concerns expressed by the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Glasgow in The Herald on 4 October 2001.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: In January 2001 the Scottish Executive commissioned research designed to help maximise employment opportunities from the housing stock transfer. The research will establish where construction skills gaps exist and what might be done to address them. The report has now been submitted to the Executive and is due for publication shortly. The Executive is considering its findings.

Employment

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it first learned of Scottish Amicable’s decision to make 430 compulsory and voluntary job cuts at its headquarters at Craigforth, Stirling.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with representatives of Scottish Amicable or the Prudential to discuss the 430 job losses at the headquarters of Scottish Amicable in Craigforth, Stirling, and whether it will make available any papers or documents referred to at these meetings.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive met with senior officers of both Scottish Amicable and their parent company, Prudential Assurance, on 31 October. The discussion covered Prudential’s decision to rebrand all Scottish Amicable products and to make further efficiency savings within the group. This meeting was convened on the understanding that commercial confidentiality would be respected. Following the public announcement of Prudential’s intentions on 2 November, the scope of that discussion is now effectively in the public domain, including the company’s pledge to retain Craigforth as a major business centre with more than 2,000 employed there.

Enterprise

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to specific inclusiveness projects which are designed to improve the skills and employability of disadvantaged young people.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Careers service companies and their partners have been allocated the following funding to take forward inclusiveness projects over the period 2001-04:

  


Careers Service Company 
  

2001-04 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

£2,304,668.00 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

£1,200,000.00 
  



Ayrshire 
  

£975,000.00 
  



Borders 
  

£295,637.00 
  



Central 
  

£800,000.00 
  



Career Development Edinburgh and Lothian 
  

£1,850,000.00 
  



Tayside 
  

£859,268.00 
  



Dunbarton and Lomond 
  

£594,500.00 
  



Fife 
  

£1,105,899.00 
  



Glasgow 
  

£1,920,000.00 
  



Grampian (including Moray for year 1 only) 
  

£1,366,091.00 
  



Pan Highlands and Islands Project 
  
 



Highland 
  

£502,058.00 
  



Argyll 
  

£357,670.00 
  



Orkney 
  

£113,472.00 
  



Shetland 
  

£102,650.00 
  



Western Isles 
  

£142,350.00 
  



Moray (Years 2 and 3 only) 
  

£124,917.00

Environment

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to EC Directive 94/63/EC, whether it plans to take forward discretions for small petrol stations where the service station is located in an area where vapour emissions are unlikely to contribute significantly to environmental and/or health problems.

Rhona Brankin: We are currently considering to what areas the derogation should apply in Scotland.

  Petrol stations within the size range 100 to 500m3 throughput, for which a derogation could be available, do not need to comply with the requirements of the Directive until the end of 2004. We will therefore make a decision in advance of this date and an announcement will be made in due course.

Environment

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency about charges levied for petrol vapour recovery.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to review the charging scheme which covers petrol vapour recovery processes and to propose options for achieving cost recovery. Any proposed changes to the existing charging scheme would be subject to public consultation and approval by the Scottish ministers.

Environment

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16777 by Rhona Brankin on 9 August 2001, what attempts have been made to inform local authorities and others of the need to comply with the 31 December 2001 deadline for removing all ozone depleting substances from refrigerators prior to their disposal.

Rhona Brankin: Following discussions at official level with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities over the Summer, the Environment and Rural Affairs Department wrote on 14 September 2001 to local authorities, electrical retailers, second hand goods retailers, charitable and voluntary organisations and waste metal recyclers to inform them formally of this requirement. The letter also advised them to consult the Scottish Environment Protection Agency if they proposed to ship waste refrigerators abroad for disposal or store them pending the availability of suitable disposal capacity in the UK. Guidance on storage and treatment standards is being prepared and will be issued in due course.

Environment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the European Commission in opposition to the draft Physical Agents Directive on vibration and place copies of any such representations in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre or, if it will not make direct representations, whether it will make such representations to Her Majesty’s Government and place copies of these in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the Health and Safety implications in the proposed European Commission’s Physical Agents Directive. Therefore representations to the European Commission will be a matter for the UK Government.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports equal access to physiotherapy services across Scotland.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Health Plan , Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , has as one of its core aims the achievement of better, fairer access to services.

  Making best use of professional skills such as those in physiotherapy is key to providing patients with a more accessible more responsive service and the Scottish Executive is working with a wide range of individuals and organisations to make good practice the norm.

Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases there were of intra-uterine transfusion to rectify rhesus incompatibility in each year from 1976 to 2001.

Susan Deacon: The number of intra-uterine transfusions performed each year from 1976 to 2000 is shown in the following table which has been provided by ISD Scotland. Information for 2001 is not available centrally at present. It is understood that the majority of intra-uterine transfusions performed in Scotland are due to rhesus incompatibility.

  Intra-uterine Transfusion – Scotland:

  Number of procedures and patients 1976-2000

  


Year of discharge 1,2


Number of Intra-uterine Transfusions 
  

Year of discharge 
  

Number of Intra-uterine Transfusions 




1976 
  

10 
  

1989 
  

55 
  



1977 
  

 4 
  

1990 
  

68 
  



1978 
  

 3 
  

1991 
  

44 
  



1979 
  

 0 
  

1992 
  

44 
  



1980 
  

 8 
  

1993 
  

46 
  



1981 
  

 6 
  

1994 
  

49 
  



1982 
  

 2 
  

1995 
  

53 
  



1983 
  

 1 
  

1996 
  

53 
  



1984 
  

 5 
  

1997 
  

17 
  



1985 
  

 0 
  

1998 
  

55 
  



1986 
  

 9 
  

1999 
  

21 
  



1987 
  

 6 
  

20003


33 
  



1988 
  

28 
  
 
 



  Notes:

  1. Foetal medicine did not develop until the late 1980s, when ultrasound technology improved to an extent that foetal therapy became a reality. The first series of direct intravascular were not performed regularly in Scotland until 1988.

  2. The information shown refers to the number of procedures performed. Many patients, particularly since 1988, received on average more than one transfusion during their pregnancy.

  Based on Classification of Surgical Operations (OPCS): 2nd Revision; 1976 (747), 3rd Revision; 1977-1988 (747), 4th Revision; 1989-2000 (R01.1, R04.3)

  3. Provisional data.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available to Grampian Health Board to enable it to make available the anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha drugs Enbrel (Etanercept) and Remicade (Infliximab) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Susan Deacon: The Executive is providing substantial resources to Grampian as part of the record investment we are making in NHSScotland. Grampian NHS Board’s general funding allocation for 2001-02 is over £446 million – an increase of £21.3 million (5.5%) compared with last year. In each of the next two years it will receive further increases of at least 6.5% and 7.4%.

  It is for NHS Grampian to decide how to deploy these funds on the basis of its assessment of local need and priorities for investment. In determining expenditure on the prescription of drugs, the NHS Board will of course also take account of national guidance and professional clinical advice.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which health boards currently make available the anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha drugs Enbrel (Etanercept) and Remicade (Infliximab) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16712 on 1 August 2001.

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what pilot projects have been, or are being, conducted whereby paramedics deliver clot-busting drugs before patients are taken to hospital for emergency treatment.

Susan Deacon: Medical research in the UK and overseas shows clearly that treatment with thrombolytic (clot-dissolving) drugs is an effective way of reducing or avoiding long-term damage from heart attack, and that effectiveness is greatest when the drugs are administered very quickly after a heart attack has occurred. Consequently there is considerable clinical interest in the potential role of ambulance paramedic staff in providing thrombolytic drugs before a patient is transferred to hospital.

  With support from the Remote and Rural Areas Resource Initiative, the Scottish Ambulance Service is undertaking a pilot project on pre-hospital thrombolysis in rural areas. The project is looking at joint working between the ambulance service and general practice and will provide research evidence on the effectiveness of pre-hospital thrombolysis.

  Pilot projects may have been undertaken elsewhere in the UK and overseas.

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what risks there are to patients from the use of clot-busting drugs.

Susan Deacon: There are risks associated with almost all medicines. There are a number of thrombolytic (clot-dissolving) drugs with specific side effects and contra-indications. For example, some patients suffer bleeding. Before a decision to administer a thrombolytic agent is taken, patients are assessed for these risk factors.

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will cost Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust annually to run the community thrombosis service in Angus, whereby paramedics deliver clot-busting drugs before patients are taken to hospital for emergency treatment.

Susan Deacon: This is a matter for NHS Tayside. The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether heart attack patients in Angus who are not suitable for treatment with clot-busting drugs will be at greater risk of death or permanent disability following the proposed closure of the Coronary Care Unit at Stracathro Hospital.

Susan Deacon: Decisions about the future of the Coronary Care Unit at Stracathro Hospital are, in the first place, the responsibility of NHS Tayside. In making these decisions I expect NHS Tayside to be guided by the latest available evidence and by current good practice, including evidence on clinical risks associated with the treatment of heart attack patients.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why there has been a rise from 273.4 in 1998 to 802.9 whole-time equivalents in 1999 in the number of NHS nurses whose specialty is classified as "other" as opposed to a more specific specialty according to SKIPPER (3) published by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency and whether it will give a more detailed breakdown of the specialities or areas within which those nurses classified as "other" work.

Susan Deacon: The number of nursing staff whose specialty was classified as "other" at 30 September 1999 and 30 September 2000 was incorrectly recorded in the latest release of SKIPPER. The following table shows the correct data for nursing staff by specialty and qualification. The figures underlined are those which have been corrected. The data in SKIPPER will be corrected upon the next release of the package in January 2002.

  The specialties of those classified as "other’ is not known centrally.

  



Nursing and Midwifery staff employed in 
  NHSScotland by location, qualification and specialty 1




Whole Time Equivalent: at 30 September 
  



 


1990 8


1995 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

20002




All Nursing & Midwifery staff 3,4


52,284.1 
  

52,416.2 
  

51,472.4 
  

51,073.8 
  

51,353.0 
  

51,228.2 
  



Senior Nurse Managers 5


 595.1 
  

 190.8 
  

 133.9 
  

 117.9 
  

 102.6 
  

 63.9 
  



Hospital Specialties 
  

45,837.9 
  

45,850.2 
  

44,886.9 
  

44,366.1 
  

44,446.7 
  

44,147.1 
  



Qualified 
  

 29,477.9 
  

 29,525.1 
  

 29,431.5 
  

 29,318.0 
  

 29,520.1 
  

 29,525.0 
  



Acute 
  

14,007.8 
  

14,424.3 
  

14,863.0 
  

15,030.7 
  

15,360.3 
  

15,548.8 
  



Midwives8


- 
  

2,296.9 
  

2,404.7 
  

2,354.5 
  

2,367.5 
  

2,377.1 
  



Other Maternity8


2 668.2 
  

 311.6 
  

 315.9 
  

 310.4 
  

 309.4 
  

 312.7 
  



Mental Illness 
  

5,977.4 
  

5,762.0 
  

5,609.5 
  

5,601.6 
  

5,502.9 
  

5,437.2 
  



Learning Disabilities 
  

1,722.7 
  

1,397.3 
  

1,276.3 
  

1,196.2 
  

1,173.9 
  

1,139.3 
  



Care of the Elderly 
  

4,282.8 
  

4,224.0 
  

3,761.7 
  

3,573.4 
  

3,505.7 
  

3,385.5 
  



Paediatrics 
  

 819.1 
  

1,108.9 
  

1,194.4 
  

1,239.3 
  

1,299.4 
  

1,323.5 
  



Other 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 6.0 
  

 12.0 
  

 1.0 
  

 1.0 
  



Unqualified 
  

 16,359.9 
  

 16,325.1 
  

 15,455.5 
  

 15,048.0 
  

 14,926.7 
  

 14,622.1 
  



Acute 
  

5,400.5 
  

5,220.6 
  

5,230.4 
  

5,295.9 
  

5,426.3 
  

5,458.6 
  



Other Maternity 
  

 822.8 
  

 782.8 
  

 701.9 
  

 682.6 
  

 686.7 
  

 648.8 
  



Mental Illness 
  

3,895.5 
  

4,124.8 
  

3,764.2 
  

3,699.0 
  

3,642.0 
  

3,587.5 
  



Learning Disabilities 
  

1,870.8 
  

1,710.5 
  

1,580.6 
  

1,436.2 
  

1,338.9 
  

1,245.5 
  



Care of the Elderly 
  

4,064.4 
  

4,107.9 
  

3,798.6 
  

3,553.3 
  

3,462.9 
  

3,312.8 
  



Paediatrics 
  

 306.0 
  

 378.6 
  

 379.8 
  

 381.1 
  

 369.9 
  

 368.8 
  



Other 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Community Specialties 
  





6,022.3 
  

6,048.6 
  

6,140.9 
  

6,305.7 
  

6,377.4 
  



Qualified 
  

5,261.6 
  

5,497.5 
  

5,458.1 
  

5,553.1 
  

5,698.1 
  

5,746.0 
  



Health visitor6


1,508.6 
  

1,429.7 
  

1,442.6 
  

1,459.0 
  

1,464.4 
  

1,460.1 
  



Grades G & above 
  

1,508.6 
  

1,316.8 
  

1,307.5 
  

1,317.3 
  

1,310.6 
  

1,310.6 
  



Below Grade G 
  

- 
  

 112.8 
  

 135.1 
  

141.7 
  

 153.9 
  

 149.5 
  



District nurse6


1,744.3 
  

1,733.1 
  

1,799.7 
  

1,852.5 
  

1,940.7 
  

1,935.8 
  



Grades G & above 
  

1,181.0 
  

1,027.7 
  

1,001.7 
  

1,011.8 
  

1,027.3 
  

1,018.4 
  



Below Grade G 
  

 563.3 
  

 705.4 
  

 798.0 
  

 840.7 
  

 913.4 
  

 917.4 
  



Community midwife 
  

 208.4 
  

 283.4 
  

 291.9 
  

 302.6 
  

 289.5 
  

 287.0 
  



Combined duty nurse 
  

 560.3 
  

 462.6 
  

 398.1 
  

 357.8 
  

 323.1 
  

 279.9 
  



Community psychiatric nurse7


 97.7 
  

 426.8 
  

 484.7 
  

 498.4 
  

 587.0 
  

 629.7 
  



Community learning disability nurse 
  

 28.7 
  

 155.4 
  

 146.3 
  

 140.5 
  

 133.3 
  

 128.5 
  



Clinic/school nurse 
  

 235.6 
  

 482.6 
  

 497.1 
  

 498.1 
  

 488.2 
  

 476.5 
  



Other 
  

 878.1 
  

 523.9 
  

 397.7 
  

 444.2 
  

 471.8 
  

 548.5 
  



Unqualified 
  

 412.4 
  

 524.8 
  

 590.5 
  

 587.9 
  

 607.6 
  

 631.4 
  



Auxillary/assistant 
  

 412.4 
  

 503.9 
  

 568.9 
  

 576.9 
  

 593.8 
  

 604.1 
  



Nursery nurse 
  

- 
  

 20.8 
  

 21.6 
  

 10.9 
  

 13.8 
  

 27.3 
  



Other Specialties 
  

 177.1 
  

 352.8 
  

 403.0 
  

 448.8 
  

 497.9 
  

 639.9 
  



Qualified 
  

 38.1 
  

 166.3 
  

 221.4 
  

 244.8 
  

 275.8 
  

 359.6 
  



Occupational Health 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 87.5 
  



Blood Transfusion Service 
  

 38.1 
  

 45.6 
  

 51.7 
  

 52.2 
  

 64.5 
  

 58.6 
  



Other 
  

- 
  

 120.6 
  

 169.8 
  

 192.6 
  

 211.3 
  

 213.5 
  



Unqualified 
  

 139.0 
  

 186.6 
  

 181.6 
  

 204.0 
  

 222.1 
  

 280.3 
  



Blood Transfusion Service 
  

 139.0 
  

 133.6 
  

 121.2 
  

 123.2 
  

 121.8 
  

 164.0 
  



Other 
  

- 
  

 52.9 
  

 60.4 
  

 80.8 
  

 100.3 
  

 116.3 
  



  Notes:

  1. From September 1991 data were derived using a new occupation classification for nursing staff. This has caused some discontinuities in the time series as previous misclassifications have been corrected. From 1993 data for the State Hospital, Carstairs are included.

  2. provisional.

  3. Excludes agency nurses, bank nurses and nurses employed by GP practices

  4. Excludes nurse teachers and nurses in training.

  5. Nursing management - all nurses on clinical grades are excluded from this category from September 1993. Some senior nurse managers are employed on A&C senior management grades and are not included in the nursing total.

  6. Includes health visiting and district nursing teaching staff, and staff working in the field without a HV/DN qualification. The category 'Grades G & above' gives a broad indication of those staff with a HV/DN qualification.

  7. This category is likely to be under-recorded.

  8. In 1990 it was not possible to identify midwives separately from nurses working in maternity services.

  Ref: ISD Workforce/0745

  Source: National Manpower Statistics from payroll ISD Scotland.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) paediatricians and (b) psychiatrists have undergone specific training in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Susan Deacon: All doctors working as consultants or specialist registrars in paediatrics or psychiatry will be members of, respectively, either the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health or the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The membership examinations for both institutions require a knowledge of child and adolescent mental health, and theoretical knowledge of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will be included.

  Information is not collected on those staff who undertake any specific additional training in ADHD. However, all consultants in the specialty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry will have received training in the assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with ADHD during their higher specialist training.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the establishment, remit and budget of the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Susan Deacon: Planning meetings about the establishment of a Scottish Medicines Consortium are under way. It is hoped that an announcement about its remit and budget will be made early in the New Year.

Internet Services

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) when it last estimated the number of people who have access to the internet and what the results were, and (b) how many children are using the internet, broken down by age group.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Results from the Scottish Household Survey, for the first quarter of 2001, show an estimated 31% of people in Scotland aged five years and older had access to the internet for personal use. When disaggregated by age, 27% of 5 to 10-year-olds are estimated to access the internet for personal use. The corresponding figure for 11 to 18-year-olds is 51%.

Judicial Appointments

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18631 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what specific encouragement it has given to women and others from non-traditional backgrounds in respect of appointment to Senators of the College of Justice.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is committed to making the judicial appointments process a more transparent and fair system for all who are interested in becoming Judges or Sheriffs. The appointment process which took place during the summer was the first in which Court of Session vacancies were publicly advertised and candidates were interviewed by a selection panel.

  Advertisements for the Chair and lay members of the Judicial Appointments Board appeared in the press on 12 October 2001 and I expect the board to be in operation early next year. Part of the board’s remit will be to consider ways of recruiting judges, sheriffs principal and sheriffs who are as representative as possible of the communities they serve, while always maintaining the principle of appointment on merit. I shall give guidance to the Board on the importance of attracting applications from groups which are currently under-represented on the judicial bench.

Judicial Appointments

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer S1W-18631 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what discussions it has held with women members of the Scottish Bar and other members of the Faculty of Advocates on encouraging appointments to the Supreme Courts of advocates from non-traditional backgrounds.

Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19202. The Scottish Executive is committed to encouraging applications for judicial appointments from groups which are under-represented on the judicial bench.

Judicial Appointments

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer S1W-18631 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, (a) how many appointments to Senators of the College of Justice have been made since March 2001, (b) how many of those appointed were male, (c) how many of those appointed attended public schools, (d) how many of those appointed hold degrees from the Universities of Cambridge or Oxford and (e) how many of those appointed had a father or grandfather who held a legal qualification.

Iain Gray: The information requested is as follows:

  (a) 3, (b) 3, (c) 3, (d) 3 and (e) this information was not collected from candidates.

Judicial Appointments

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18632 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, how many interviews it has (a) held with candidates for appointment to Senators of the College of Justice since March 2001 or (b) intends to hold.

Iain Gray: Nine candidates have been interviewed for appointment as Senator of the College of Justice since March 2001.

  No further interviews for Senator of the College of Justice have been arranged.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18635 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what steps it plans to take to remedy any deterioration in the progress of criminal appeal work as evidenced in the year up to 31 August 2001.

Iain Gray: The programming of criminal appeal work is a matter for the Lord Justice General. Ministers will consider carefully any representations which the Lord Justice General might make to them in this regard.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18636 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what representations it has received since 1999 on the effects of new business before the Outer House of the Court of Session on its judicial resources.

Iain Gray: None.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18642 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what steps it is taking to reduce the calls upon retired judges called for sittings of the Supreme Courts.

Iain Gray: It is the responsibility of the Lord President to decide when and for how long a retired judge should be used for sittings of the Supreme Courts.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18643 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what the average waiting period was for (a) a civil appeal and (b) a solemn conviction shown in calendar weeks.

Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally and is not readily available.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18645 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, what discussions it has held with officials of the Supreme Courts, including the Keeper of the Rolls, with regard to the waiting periods in calendar weeks for proofs with an estimated duration of 10 days or more in the Outer House of the Court of Session and the reckoning of the number of such cases.

Iain Gray: Officials of the Supreme Courts including the Keeper of the Rolls were consulted and provided the information given in the answer to question S1W-18645. The programming of business in the Court of Session is the responsibility of the Lord President of the Court of Session.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18646 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 October 2001, how many of the judges listed as sitting in each week in the Outer House were sitting as Commercial Cause judges or were otherwise unavailable to the courts administration to hear ordinary cause civil proofs.

Iain Gray: Information in the form requested is not readily available. At least one judge but not more than three judges are allocated to commercial business in any one week during term.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-18538 by Mr Jim Wallace on 9 October 2001, whether The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will be published in November.

Iain Gray: The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will be introduced to the Parliament shortly.

Libraries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to ensure that the Scottish Science Library does not close.

Allan Wilson: The future of the Scottish Science Library is a matter for the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Scotland.

Ministerial Correspondence

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the letter to me of 8 May 2001 from the Deputy Minister for Education, Europe, and External Affairs regarding school link courses, when the Deputy Minister expects to give a further response to me.

Nicol Stephen: A final reply was issued on 2 November 2001.

Nursing

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reclassify the categories of nurse used in NHS statistical returns so as to make the published statistics more informative.

Susan Deacon: There are no plans to fundamentally change the classification of nurses into categories in the ISD Scotland statistical returns. However, minor adjustments to the classification are made by ISD to respond to demands from the service.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Prison Service officers would be required to assist HM Prison Kilmarnock staff should a prisoner disturbance occur and, if so, who would be responsible for meeting the cost of such assistance.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  All Scottish prisons, including HMP Kilmarnock, operate under a mutual aid arrangement. Each prison is responsible for the cost of resourcing this arrangement.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions Scottish Prison Service officers have been called to HM Prison Kilmarnock due to prisoner disturbances.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Scottish Prison Service staff have never been called upon to assist HM Prison Kilmarnock with prisoner disturbances.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been made by Premier Prison Services for the services of senior officers of the Scottish Prison Service in each month since the prison was opened.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  None. No senior officers of the Scottish Prison Service work for Premier Prison Services.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost to the Scottish Prison Service of checking the design of HM Prison Kilmarnock with regard to security or for any other reason was taken into account in the price agreed with the construction company of the prison.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. In accordance with normal practice, the cost of the tendering process was not charged to any of the bidders.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any department of the Scottish Prison Service at any stage requested or required any change to the design of HMP Kilmarnock.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  All bidders changed elements of their initially submitted design throughout the tender negotiation process to fulfil better the requirements of the Scottish Prison Service output specification.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service Estates Directorate was involved in checking the design of HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Prison Service Estates Directorate first had sight of plans for HM Prison Kilmarnock and how long this was before the start of the construction process.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Initial tenders were received by the Scottish Prison Service in December 1996 and construction started in November 1997.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes exist for serious sex offenders serving sentences of more than four years and in which prisons these programmes are delivered.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  CORE STOP 2000 is the predominant Sex Offender programme used in Scotland for prisoners serving more than four years. Also available are the Cognitive Skills and Anger Management programmes along with a number of locally developed initiatives. The CORE STOP 2000 is being delivered at HM Prison Barlinnie and HMP Peterhead, with an adapted version being delivered at HM Prison & Young Offenders Institute Polmont.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychologists are employed or contracted to the Scottish Prison Service for the treatment of sex offenders and in which prisons they are based.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Psychologists throughout the Scottish Prison Service cover a number of areas, but those with a significant input to the treatment of sex offenders are:

  


HMP Peterhead 
  

4 
  



HMP Barlinnie 
  

4 
  



HMP & YOI Polmont 
  

4

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the governor of each prison establishment had been in his or her present position as at 31 October 2001.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is given in the following table.

  


Establishment 
  

Date of Appointment 
  



Aberdeen 
  

01.10.011




Barlinnie 
  

01.10.01 
  



Castle Huntly 
  

14.02.00 
  



Cornton Vale 
  

30.07.01 
  



Dumfries 
  

03.07.99 
  



Edinburgh 
  

13.03.00 
  



Glenochil 
  

18.06.01 
  



Greenock 
  

23.07.01 
  



Inverness 
  

24.01.00 
  



Low Moss 
  

22.10.01 
  



Noranside 
  

 24.09.011




Perth 
  

26.04.99 
  



Peterhead 
  

01.10.01 
  



Polmont 
  

01.06.96 
  



Shotts 
  

01.10.01 
  



  Note:

  1. Acting Governor.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any performance or achievement related awards that have been made to prisons since 1997.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is given in the following table.

  


Establishment 
  

Award 
  

Date 
  



Aberdeen 
  

Investors in People (IIP) 
  

December 1998 
  



Barlinnie 
  

IIP
Bronze SHAW Award 
  

August 2000 
  



Castle Huntly 
  

IIP 
  

December 1998 
  



Cornton Vale 
  

IIP
Charter Mark 
  

December 1999
August 2001 
  



Dumfries 
  

IIP
Bronze SHAW Award
Silver SHAW Award
Gold SHAW Award 
  

March 1999
September 1998
October 1999
November 2000 
  



Edinburgh 
  

IIP 
  

October 1999 
  



Glenochil 
  

IIP 
  

January 2000 
  



Greenock 
  

IIP
Bronze SHAW Award 
  

January 1999
July 2001 
  



Inverness 
  

IIP
Charter Mark 
  

November 2000 
  



Low Moss 
  

IIP
SHAW Bronze Award
Scottish Healthy Choices
Award (commended) 
  

May 1999 
January 1999
September 2001 
  



Noranside 
  

IIP 
  

January 1999 
  



Perth 
  

IIP 
  

July 2000 
  



Peterhead 
  

Beacon Site
Finalists TNT ‘Improving Government Partnership Award’
Finalist Quality Scotland – Business Excellence Model 

Bronze SHAW Award
Silver SHAW Award
Gold SHAW Award 
  

October 2001
April 2001

November 2001

February 1999
December 1999
April 2001 
  



Polmont 
  

IIP
Charter Mark 
  

June 1999
July 2001 
  



Headquarters 
  

IIP 
  

April 2000 
  



Shotts 
  

IIP 
  

July 1999

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison officers have attained qualifications at higher national diploma level and above since 1997, broken down by qualification and by prison.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The following figures relate to studies supported corporately by SPS. Figures for locally supported studies are not collated centrally.

  


Qualification 
  

Establishment 
  

Number of Staff 
  



Professional Diploma in Management 
  

Glenochil 
  

2 
  



Diploma in Management Studies 
  

Aberdeen 
  

1 
  



Barlinnie 
  

2 
  



Cornton Vale 
  

1 
  



Edinburgh 
  

1 
  



Glenochil 
  

1 
  



Greenock 
  

2 
  



Polmont 
  

1 
  



Low Moss 
  

1 
  



Penninghame 
  

1 
  



Perth 
  

3 
  



Shotts 
  

1 
  



HQ 
  

1 
  



NEBS Management Diploma 
  

Barlinnie 
  

1 
  



Edinburgh 
  

2 
  



Glenochil 
  

4 
  



Noranside 
  

2 
  



Polmont 
  

3 
  



Shotts 
  

2 
  



SPSC 
  

1 
  



Psychology Degree 
  

SPSC 
  

1 
  



Shotts 
  

1 
  



Greenock 
  

1 
  



BA (Hons) Psychology 
  

Shotts 
  

1 
  



BSc (Hons) Psychology 
  

Polmont 
  

1 
  



General Degree of Business Admin 
  

Cornton Vale 
  

1 
  



BA Degree – Business Studies 
  

Cornton Vale 
  

1 
  



Glenochil 
  

1 
  



BA Degree (Hons) Social Sciences 
  

Friarton 
  

1 
  



Degree of Master of Science in Criminal Justice Studies 
  

Glenochil 
  

1 
  



BSc Hons 
  

Glenochil 
  

1 
  



CIPD 
  

Longriggend 
  

1 
  



MBA 
  

Edinburgh 
  

1 
  



Longriggend 
  

1 
  



Shotts 
  

1 
  



HQ 
  

1 
  



Diploma in Company Direction 
  

HQ 
  

1

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders were serving sentences of four years or over in each prison for part or the whole of each year since 1993.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The supply of this information would incur disproportionate cost to the Scottish Prison Service.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders undertook the Stop programme at (a) HM Prison Barlinnie and (b) HM Prison Polmont in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) so far in 2001.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The CORE STOP 2000 programme was not available until the year 2000. Numbers undertaking this programme are:

  


HMP Barlinnie 
  

2000 
  

9 prisoners completed 
  



HMP Barlinnie 
  

2001 
  

Course not completed as yet 
  



HMP & YOI Polmont 
  

2001 
  

New course not completed as yet 
  



  Prior to the CORE STOP 2000 programme being introduced there were a number of interventions aimed at sex offenders being delivered but the numbers undertaking them were not collected centrally.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether sex offender programmes are operated at HM Prison Saughton; if so, whether it will detail the programmes which are operated and how many prisoners undertook them in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) so far in 2001 and, if no programmes are operated, why this was and what plans it has to start such programmes.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No CORE STOP 2000 sex offender programmes are being operated as a suitable prisoner group has not yet been identified, but Edinburgh prison is able to deliver such programmes when such a group is identified.

  Prior to the CORE STOP programme being introduced there were a number of interventions at Edinburgh and a number of other establishments, aimed at sex offenders, but the numbers undertaking them were not collected centrally.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison visiting committees have made representations to it or the Scottish Prison Service on the treatment of sex offenders in prisons since 1997; whether it will detail any such representations, and what the outcomes were of any such representations.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  SPS has no record of any prison visiting committee having made representations since 1997 on the treatment of sex offenders in prisons.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of the Investors in People (IiP) programme in each prison and when IiP status was awarded to each prison.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is given in the following table.

  


Establishment 
  

Recognition Date 
  



HMP Aberdeen 
  

15 December 19981




HMP Castle Huntly 
  

15 December 1998 
  



HMP Noranside 
  

12 January 1999 
  



HMP Greenock 
  

12 January 1999 
  



HM YOI Dumfries 
  

9 March 1999 
  



HMP Low Moss 
  

12 May 1999 
  



HM YOI Polmont 
  

1 June 1999 
  



HMP Peterhead 
  

7 June 1999 
  



HMP Shotts 
  

21 July 1999 
  



  Note:

  1. HMP Aberdeen was re-assessed in July 2001 and is on a "Retention of Recognition" programme

  


Establishment 
  

Recognition Date 
  



HMP Edinburgh 
  

27 October 1999 
  



HMP Cornton Vale 
  

15 December 1999 
  



HMP Glenochil 
  

11 January 2000 
  



HMP Perth 
  

10 July 2000 
  



HMP Barlinnie 
  

23 August 2000 
  



HMP Inverness 
  

21 November 2000

Road Accidents

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Police STATS 19 form is the most accurate way of identifying the number and type of personal injuries that occur from road accidents, and whether any other record systems have been considered for use for this purpose.

Sarah Boyack: The STATS 19 system, which is used throughout Great Britain, is designed to gather information for the production of statistics and to assist in the prevention of road accidents. It draws on the expertise of the police to collect information about key features of each accident known to them which occurs on a public road, involves one or more vehicles and results in the death or injury of one or more people. A considerable amount of detail is obtained about the circumstances of each accident. The STATS 19 records whether casualties' injuries were fatal, severe or slight.

  The system is kept under regular review. A National Statistics Quality Review of the STATS 19 started earlier this year, with the objectives of ensuring that the statistics are fit for purpose, and that improvements are identified and taken forward. It is being conducted by the Standing Committee on Road Accident Statistics, which includes representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, and the Scottish Executive. The review will consider, for example, whether outputs meet user needs, whether outputs are of adequate quality (eg in accuracy and timeliness), whether appropriate methods and best practice are used, and whether the burden on data suppliers is justified. Among the matters which will be considered are the STATS 19 definition of the severity of injury, the possibility of recording more information about casualties' injuries in the STATS 19 returns, the availability of health service information about casualties' injuries, the coverage of the health service statistics, and the relationship between the STATS 19 and health service classifications of the severity of casualties' injuries.

  Further information about the review may be obtained from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions Website, at the following address:

  http://www.transtat.dtlr.gov.uk/scras/qareview.htm.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sections of trunk road were (a) opened and (b) significantly upgraded in order to increase capacity in each year since 1979.

Sarah Boyack: The information is set out in the following table:

  


1979 
  

12 
  



1980 
  

13 
  



1981 
  

11 
  



1982 
  

16 
  



1983 
  

14 
  



1984 
  

5 
  



1985 
  

9 
  



1986 
  

18 
  



1987 
  

15 
  



1988 
  

8 
  



1989 
  

7 
  



1990 
  

12 
  



1991 
  

10 
  



1992 
  

8 
  



1993 
  

8 
  



1994 
  

8 
  



1995 
  

6 
  



1996 
  

3 
  



1997 
  

3 
  



1998 
  

3 
  



1999 
  

6 
  



2000 
  

3 
  



  All the above sections of trunk road involved road layout or cross sectional changes which produced increases in capacity to some degree.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many miles of trunk road were (a) created and (b) substantially upgraded in order to increase capacity in each year since 1979.

Sarah Boyack: The information on the miles of trunk road created, or substantially upgraded, to increase capacity is not available. Public road lengths for trunk roads, on a year by year basis, is contained in Chapter 5 Table 5.1 of the Editions of Scottish Transport Statistics copies of which have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on the enhancement of the trunk road network in each year since 1979.

Sarah Boyack: Information is not available on the proportion of the trunk road budget spent on the enhancement of the network. Expenditure on the network as a whole, including new construction, improvements and routine maintenance, for each year is as follows.

  


Year 
  

Spend
(£ million) 
  



1979-80 
  

83 
  



1980-81 
  

91 
  



1981-82 
  

104 
  



1982-83 
  

110 
  



1983-84 
  

106 
  



1984-85 
  

119 
  



1985-86 
  

119 
  



1986-87 
  

115 
  



1987-88 
  

130 
  



1988-89 
  

131 
  



1989-90 
  

163 
  



1990-91 
  

199 
  



1991-92 
  

201 
  



1992-93 
  

230 
  



1993-94 
  

231 
  



1994-95 
  

247 
  



1995-96 
  

225 
  



1996-97 
  

203 
  



1997-98 
  

177 
  



1998-99 
  

156 
  



1999-2000 
  

175 
  



2000-01 
  

181 
  



  Source:

  1979-80 to 1984-85: Public Expenditure to 1987-88: A Commentary on the Scotland Programme

  1985-86 to 1997-98: Serving Scotland’s Needs

  1998-99 to 2000-01: Scottish Executive Annual Expenditure Report (figures are Estimated Outturn)

Rural Development

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on when the Seeds (National List of Varieties) Regulations 2001 will be made.

Ross Finnie: These UK regulations were laid before both Houses of the UK Parliament on 31 October 2001. I have made arrangements for a copy of the instrument to be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17014).

Schools

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18542 by Mr Jack McConnell on 9 October 2001, what plans it has to offer guidance to local authorities on rural school closures in view of the decision made by Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Mr Jack McConnell: Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has subsequently written to my Department advising of its decision to abandon its work on the code of practice on school closures, and proposing a review of all legislation relating to school closures. I will give this proposal careful consideration before reaching a view.

Scottish Executive Websites

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a progress report on the 2005 electronic service delivery targets.

Angus MacKay: We have today published our first progress report on electronic service delivery which shows that the Executive, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies already provide over 60% of their services online. Unsurprisingly, most of these relate to the provision of information, but some transactions are already fully electronically enabled, and many more are planned. We have also published a revised, more strategic version of our 21st Century Government Action Plan . Both documents are available on our 21st Century Government  website and copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the total number of students who have registered appeals with the Scottish Qualifications Authority as a result of the 2001 examination diet, broken down into (i) the number of papers appealed; (ii) the proportion of students who made appeals; (iii) the proportion of papers on which a result was appealed, and (iv) the number of appeals that have been completed to date, and whether it will publish comparative data for each of the preceding four years.

Mr Jack McConnell: The administration of the appeals process is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and I will ask the chair to write to you with the details requested. The latest position on appeals will be included in the next quarterly report to the parliament at the end of November.

Social Inclusion

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken, by it or on its behalf, to demonstrate to individuals and community groups in lower-income communities the relevance of information and communications technology to the lives and needs of those living in those communities.

Ms Wendy Alexander: One of the initiatives announced as a part of the Executive’s Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland’s People is specifically targeted at disadvantaged communities. We have launched a £3.5 million initiative to create two pilot "digital communities". 2000 households in each community will be provided with home-based access to the web; training; a community-based web portal with locally developed content; and activities to raise awareness of the benefits of getting online – increased access to education; jobs; shopping; entertainment; financial services; etc. Within these communities we aim to create a "critical mass" of web users – so increasing the benefits for each individual of getting online, raising skill levels, and creating a supportive environment.

  Within Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas in Scotland, the £1.5 million Digital Champions programme is providing a network of eight digital "champions". The Digital Champions are working to improve information communication technology (ICT) provision in SIP areas; initiating new ICT projects; spreading best practice on community access to the Internet and increasing the involvement of local people in the creation of Internet content. They are responsible for engaging local people in various initiatives and driving local activity forward.

  We are also working on a range of other initiatives as a part of the Digital Inclusion Strategy that will help to promote the benefits of the new technologies.

Social Inclusion

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken, by it or on its behalf, to promote the training of people in information and communications technology as a contribution to strengthening lower-income communities.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive is implementing and developing a number of initiatives to promote information and communications technology (ICT) skills in disadvantaged communities. These include:

  Learndirect Scotland to help and encourage individuals to take direct action to improve their own skills and employment prospects. The Learndirect Scotland helpline and website provides access to over 69,000 learning opportunities. The Scottish University for Industry (UfI) is also developing a network of Learndirect Scotland branded learning centres to enable easier access to ICT learning within communities – 202 Learndirect Scotland centres have been created so far, of which 101 are located in areas of social exclusion. Scottish UfI Ltd has a target to create 300 centres by March 2002.

  Individual Learning Accounts which provide discounts of up to 80% on certain basic ICT skills courses.

  Many Further Education colleges which provide outreach facilities in the heart of disadvantaged communities, with ICT and on-line learning being used extensively to help students and organisations develop a culture of digital technology use. IT courses represent 20% of all enrolments in further education. The Scottish Executive is committed to securing an increase of 40,000 college places by 2002, and a significant proportion of these places are being targeted at those who are socially excluded or from low income backgrounds.

  The Executive, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, has also launched £150,000 Uplift programme. Uplift is providing initial computer training for 60 to 70 people around the country who will in turn be able to pass on their skills to other members of their communities.

  Through the Executive’s Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland’s People we are also examining the feasibility of a range of other initiatives to promote digital inclusion in disadvantaged communities - one of which is a volunteering scheme. This scheme would seek to identify and recruit IT literate volunteers to share basic PC and web skills with those new to the web, within their local communities.

Social Inclusion

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made, by it or on its behalf, of the capacity of information and communications technology to be a tool for change in lower-income communities, with particular reference to strengthening the internal operations and external outreach of community groups.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive recently published our Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland’s People which sets out how we intend to bridge the digital divide and achieve universal access to the internet by 2005. We see new technologies as making a key contribution to social justice – increasing opportunities for disavantaged individuals and disadvantaged communities. The strategy sets out action to develop awareness; access; support; skills; content; and community involvement.

  To assist community and voluntary sector groups we have made £1.5million available over three years for IT development in the voluntary sector. Last year, £500,000 was made available to a wide range of projects to develop Internet access, develop websites, and improve connectivity. The successful projects included £8,625 for One Parent Families Scotland to develop a website and interactive-group for lone parents and £56,815 to set up a new and improved digital telephone conference service for Scottish charities. Criteria for organisations to apply for this year’s round of grants will be announced shortly.

  We have also contributed £432,000 to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations Voluntary Sector Web Portal. The Portal will offer one-stop access to information about voluntary sector groups and services in Scotland, as well as facilitating communications between voluntary sector organisations and community groups.

Social Inclusion

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider supporting a programme of placement of proficient information and communications technology (ICT) specialists charged with acting as agents of social change and working closely with community leaders in lower-income areas, so as to increase the knowledge of community leaders of how ICT might be applied to address the needs of their communities.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Through the Executive’s Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland’s People we are implementing and developing a number of initiatives to promote digital inclusion in disadvantaged communities. These include:

  The £1.5 million Digital Champions initiative. This is a network of eight digital champions, who have responsibility for working with local partners to improve ICT provision and initiating new ICT projects in Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas.

  The Digital Communities initiative which will expend some £3.5 million in tackling digital inclusion by creating pilot "digital communities" to connect homes to the Internet in two disadvantaged areas of Scotland. The objective is to demonstrate how the internet can increase peoples' opportunities and improve quality of life, and at the same time to inform our further efforts to close the digital divide. The two communities chosen will be announced in March 2002.

  Existing initiatives include:

  The National Grid for Learning Scotland web portal - which has developed a Guide to Getting Communities Connected. This provides anyone who wants to use the internet to benefit their community with a rich source of information, links and contacts to facilitate this.

Strategic Planning

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3798 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 September 2001, how many responses it has received in total to its consultation document Review of Strategic Planning; how many related to strategic planning arrangements in Fife, and how many were opposed to the proposals for strategic planning in Fife.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has now received 315 responses to its consultation paper on the Review of Strategic Planning. Of these, just over 150 are about the Strategic Planning arrangements for Fife. All these letters are available for viewing in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  All responses are currently being analysed by an independent consultant, Mr Geoff Peart. He will submit his report to the Executive at the end of January 2002 and his report will be published.

Student Finance

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Studentship Scheme will be administered from academic year 2002-03 onwards.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Studentship Scheme (SSS) provides awards for Scottish domiciled students undertaking advanced postgraduate study in the Arts and Humanities. The SSS is currently administered by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). From academic year 2002-03, funding for the scheme (approximately £1.6 million per year) will be transferred from SAAS to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC). This will enable SHEFC to contract out to the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) for the provision of these awards in line with the arrangement which applies in England and Wales.

Teacher Training

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that special educational needs training is a core unit within teacher training courses.

Nicol Stephen: Core curricular time is already devoted to special educational needs in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. In addition, training for special educational needs is being examined in the review of ITE which began earlier this year. The first stage of the Review has now been completed, and the Executive plans to publish its associated Action Plan in the near future.

  Training to meet special educational needs is also a key element of teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD). The CPD framework is also currently under review and the Educational Inclusion Sub Group of the Ministerial Strategy Committee on CPD is looking at inclusion issues, including special educational needs. Recommendations will be made in due course.

Teachers

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average starting salary for a newly qualified teacher who was a mature student is expected to be next year for (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers and what the average starting salary for them is for the current year and has been for each of the last three years.

Mr Jack McConnell: This information is not held centrally, as the Scottish Executive does not employ teachers, nor do we pay their salaries direct.

Teachers

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether measures have been taken to put into effect the statement in Learn to Teach in respect of newly qualified teachers that it is possible for mature students with relevant previous experience to enter the salary scale at a higher point.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Learn to Teach brochure was an information paper given to those interested in teaching as a career. It predates the McCrone Report and the Agreement on a Teaching Profession for the 21st Century , and was replaced by our Teaching in Scotland material from June 2001.

Teachers

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers will make a decision on a uniform salary for all probationers.

Mr Jack McConnell: The next meeting of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers will be on 5 December 2001. This meeting will discuss the proposal from the Working Group on Conditions of Service on changes to pay for probationer teachers.

Teachers

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when students will be informed of the decision of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers on a uniform salary for all probationers.

Mr Jack McConnell: All parties to the committee will ensure that information on any decisions taken will be disseminated as appropriate as soon as a decision is taken.

Teachers

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether introduction of a uniform salary for all probationers will encourage mature students into the teaching profession.

Mr Jack McConnell: I believe that students and those considering teaching as a career recognise the very significant improvements in pay, conditions and opportunities adhered through the agreement A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century , and will see the long-term benefits of joining a re-invigorated profession.

  I am convinced that the improvements we are implementing through the agreement are of significant benefit to probationer teachers and the profession, both now and in the long-term. However, I am aware of the concerns raised by those mature students studying now, and in particular that they have budgeted for their training under certain expectations and assumptions. With our partners in Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the teacher organisations we will give the issues they have raised our full consideration.

Transport

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is planning to introduce in areas where peak-time concessionary fares for bus travel are available to pensioners and/or disabled people in order to ensure that any such fares continue to be available following the introduction of free off-peak bus travel for pensioners and disabled people.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive's objective is to ensure that, as a minimum, free local off-peak bus travel (for eligible groups) is introduced for travel wholly within the boundaries of the participating local authorities in any given scheme area, after 09:30 weekdays and all day Saturday/Sunday. The Executive is working with Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the bus industry to deliver this commitment on a voluntary basis. Local authorities will still, however, be able to arrange peak-time concessionary travel on a local basis if they so wish.

Transport

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its consultation document on the review of the European Blue Badge Scheme of parking concessions for disabled people.

Sarah Boyack: The discussion paper on the UK review of the Scheme, prepared by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, in consultation with the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Department of Regional Development in Northern Ireland, will be published shortly.

Travellers

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate sites for the gypsy/traveller community.

Jackie Baillie: Over the past 30 years, grants were made available to local authorities to provide sites for travellers. Pitch targets were also set to encourage councils to take advantage of the grant scheme. This has led to the provision of over 30 sites for travellers. The grant scheme was discontinued in December 1998.

  For the future, local authorities should consider the accommodation needs of Travellers in preparing their Local Housing Strategies. Communities Scotland, as regulator of the housing functions of local authorities, will regulate local authority sites for travellers.

Water Charges

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-17239 by Ross Finnie on 21 August 2001, whether all local authorities have completed rebilling those on low incomes under the Water and Sewerage Charges Reduction Scheme.

Ross Finnie: Following the amendment of billing software, a number of local authorities have rebilled eligible households under the Water and Sewerage Reduction Scheme. It is anticipated that the remaining local authorities will complete the task in the near future with reductions backdated to 1 April 2001 where appropriate.